Recent concern for new energy conversion devices which can supplement presently available systems using energy sources, such as fossil fuels, which are being rapidly depleted throughout the world have led to the investigation of power sources which have not heretofore been effectively developed. One such power source is that contained in the non-polluting and relatively inexhaustable energy contained in the wind. It is believed that a significant portion of the energy needs in the United States, for example, might be eventually met through the conversion of wind energy to electrical power.
In order that such systems can effectively compete with conventional energy sources so that the investigation and design thereof is worth-while, the costs involved must be commensurate with the power which can be obtained thereby. Recent studies have concluded that the larger the wind energy conversion system the lower the cost of the energy produced. Accordingly, it is desirable that wind turbine structures, if they are to be effectively competitive, be designed so that they can be made large enough to take advantage of such fact.